Fifth-wheel



(No Model.)

W. W. GRIER.

FIFTH WHEEL.v

Ptnted May 1o, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT QEETCE.

WILLIAM W. GRIER, OF HULTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

FIFTH-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 362,504, dated May l0, 188'7.

Application filed January 24, 1887.

, in said patent, and in the arrangement of the spring or reach-hanger thereon. In the 4patent above referred to the king-bolt is back of the axle, and carries a spring-hanger or shackle whose hollow socket surrounds the king-bolt, Y

and a brace, O, extends from the foot of the king-bolt forward under the axle and up to the upper circle-plate of the iifth-wheel, to which it 'is attached by a bolt and nut. The lower end of the brace has an eye or coll-ar which encircles the foot of the king-bolt, and it is retained in place by a nut on the kingbolt, which bears against the under side of the eye. This device is practical, and is of great use in strengthening the parts of the fifthwheel and keeping them firmly together. It

. is, however, subject to the disadvantage that if the nut' at the foot of the king-bolt or the nut at the upper circle-plate should become detached the spring-hanger socket might fall and throw the Arunning-gear of the vehiclefout of place.

It is one of theI objects of my invention to provide means to prevent this danger.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a vertical section of a iifth-wheel applied to the head-block and front axle of a vehicleand provided with my improvexneut. Fig. 2 is a plan View thereof. Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are detail views.

Like symbols of reference indicate like parts in each. A

In the drawings, A is the front axle of the vehicle. B is the axle-bed placed upon the axle, and C is the bolster or head-block.

`with the head-block.

of a saddle, F.

Serial No. 225,275. (No model.)

G is the upper or fixed circle-plate, which is secured to the under side of the head-block by a saddle, H. I make lthe king-bolt integral with the brace-rod,which connects it with the upper circle-plate. tute `a single U-shaped rod, having two uprightlegs, R and R', the leg R constituting the king-bolt, which extends vertically through a lug or collar, J, which projects from the saddle H back of the head-block', and through a similar lug or collar, K, which projects from the saddle F. The axial lines of the collars .I and K are coincident, as shown in Fig. l, and one of them serves to connect the upper circleplate and the otherto connect the lower circleplate with the king-bolt.

L is the spring or reach-hanger, which has a tubular socket, L', fitting around the king,- bolt B and extending up through the collars .I and K, the socket being made conical to fit within the flared portion of the collar K. The bottom of the socket L rests upon the bend or angle at the base of theking-bolt. The upper en d of the socket L has a keyway or slot, into which fits a key, j, which projects from the inner periphery of the collar J, Figs. l, 3, and et. This arrangement prevents the hangersocket from turning on the king-bolt relatively to the head-block. The arm It extends up through the upper circle-plate, G, and projects above the same.

S is ashoe-piece with aconical socket, which fits around a tapered part of the arm R', under the circle-plate G. This shoe extends forward under the lower circle-plate aud serves as a guide or rest for holding it in place. The-shoe S is held in a stationary position by the keys or lugs s, which fit within corresponding grooves or keyways on the face of a lug on the upper circle-plate, Figs. l, 5, and 6.

It' desired, the collar J and the part of the king-bolt iitting therein may be made polygo- Both together consti.

nal as an equivalent substitute for the keyway and slot. This feature of my improvement is of importance, because it enables me to dispense with braces connecting the reach T T are nuts,which are screwed on the upper ends of the U-shaped piece R R, above the upper circle-plate and the collar J. B is a plug underneath the nut T, to hold it and roo' prevent rattling. By reason of the fact that the end of the arm R is tapered at its junction wlth the shoe S, and that the upper part of the socket S is conical at its bearing with the collar K, it is clear that tightening of the nuts will draw the parts of the device together, and 1f the partsl should wear loose by friction they may be retightened by screwing up the nuts. This 1s provided for by elongating the groove 1n which the keyj tits.

In the drawings I show the hanger L adapted for use with a rigid reach, instead of spring reaches or springs, as shown in my previous patent, though, unless expressly so limited in the claims, I do not limitmyself to the device w1th which the hanger is used. Either springs or a rigid reach may be attached to the hanger. To adapt the hanger Lfor a reach, itis forked and has two arms, Z and Z", which inelose the reach on two sides thereof, and bolts Z2 extend through the reach and through the forks and h old them rigidly together. I have shown a s1ngle reach in the drawings; but without other substantial modification a double reach with divergent branches may be substituted.

The lower end of the socket L is preferably flared outwardly at V, to afford a recess for the recept1on of a rubber plug, which, being interposed between the socket and theking-bot, prevents rattling of the parts.

The device,when constructed as above described, affords great strength and security. The position of the nuts T and 'I' enables them to be more readily adjusted, and they are less apt to become displaced than in the arrangement shown in the patent above referred to. If, however, one of them should jar loose, the other would hold the part R R in place, because it is firmly braced laterally by the collars J K, the socket L', and the upper circleplate. The curvature of .the king-bolt R at its base prevents the socket L from dropping out of place unless both nuts T and T bc detached.

I claim- 1. In a fifth-wheel for vehicles, the combination, with the circle-plates, of a brace, R It', one arm of which is back of the axle and constitutes the king-bolt,while the other arm extends forward under the axle and is attached to the circle-plate, substantially as and forthe purposes described.

2. In a fifth-wheel for vehicles, the combination, with the circle-plates, of a Ushaped brace, R R, one arm of which is back of the axle and constitutes the ki ng-bolt, and the other arm of which extends to the upper circle-plate,

and nuts T T/, arranged on the upper ends of the arms, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. In a fifth-wheel for vehicles, the combination, with thecircle-plates, ofthe U -shaped brace It It', and the hanger L, arranged on the arm It, back of the axle, substantial] y as and for the purposes described.

4. In a fifth-wheel for vehicles, the combination, with the circle-plate, ofthe U-shaped brace RR', the hanger L, arranged on the arm R, back 0f the axle, and the anti-rattling plug V, interposed between the socket of the hanger and the arm, substantially as and for-the purposes described.

5. The combination of a fifth-wheel, akingbolt back of the axle, a 1'each,and a hanger mounted on the king-bolt, said hanger being attached to the reach and formingthe solesupport for the fr ont end thereof, substantially as and for the purposes described.

6. The combination, with a fifth-wheel, of a king-bolt back of the axle, collars encircling theking-bolt, and ahanger-socket, L', mounted on the king-bolt and fitting around the same, inside the said collars, substantially as and for the purposes described.

7. The combination, with a fifth-wheel, of a king-bolt back of the axle, collars encircling the king-bolt,and ahanger-socket, L', mounted on the king-bolt and fitting around the same, inside the said collars, and secured to the collar ofthe upper circle-plate so as to be prevented from rotation independently thereof, substantially as and for the purposes described.

8. The combination, with the king-bolt back of the axle and the circle-plates, of a brace extending from theking-bolt to the upper circle-platc, and a shoe, S, fitting around thc brace and projecting therefrom under the lower circle-plate, substantially as and for the purposes described.

9. In a fifth-wheel for vehicles, the co1nbination, with the circle-plates, of a U-shaped brace, It It, one arm of which is back of the axlcand constitutes theking-bolt,and the other arm of which extends to the upper circleplate, nuts fl T, arranged on the upper ends of the arms, and an elastic pluguuder the nut T', substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 20th day of January, A. D. 1887.

VILLIAM V. GRIER.

Witnesses: \V. B. CORWIN, THOMAS W. llixiawicm..

IOO 

